Going Home: Foster program helps Porter find a happy home again

Eleven-year-old Porter lost his home a few years ago when his owner passed away. Although he adapted to shelter life, staff hoped that Porter would eventually find a real home again. Sadly, in 2012, Porter began to have seizures -- a condition which made his chances of finding an adoptive family even more unlikely.

A few months ago, however, Dogs & Cats Forever began a foster program, which not only changed things dramatically for Porter, but has also has helped more than a dozen other ex-housecats, as well. Initially called "Home For the Holidays," the ongoing program featured older cats-like Porter-which needed permanent foster homes. Their adoption fee was waived and any medical treatment was furnished by the shelter. The foster family would be responsible only for food, litter, and-most importantly -- love.

The program was well received by the public, including Judy Tinney, who answered an ad for another shelter cat, which had already found a home. She decided to look around.

"Porter was staring at me," said Judy. "So I said, ‘Do you want to go home with me?'" Porter stared in the affirmative, and was soon on his way to becoming a housecat, once again.

Tinney said that Porter knew just what to do when they got home. "I opened the door and put the cage on the floor. He walked right out and made himself at home," said Tinney. She added that Porter currently enjoys napping on his extra large pillow in the guest bathtub.

Tinney, who previously had a diabetic cat which required insulin injections twice a day for ten years, said that she would never consider giving up a cat or dog because of a chronic illness. She is patient when giving Porter his anti-seizure medication twice a day-even when he occasionally tries to spit out the pill when she is not looking.

"I love everything about him," said Tinney. "His personality is fabulous. He stares at me when I talk and he looks like he is listening to everything I say."

There are many more former housecats like Porter waiting for permanent foster homes. For more information, call Dogs & cats Forever at 772-489-5454.

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